We carried out a review of the data available to us about Short Term Breaks - April Cottage on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Short Term Breaks - April Cottage, you can give feedback on this service.
Short Break Service - April Cottage is a respite service run by the Brandon Trust. It is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to four adults with a range of needs including, physical and learning disabilities. People could have support from a few hours a day or for longer periods. 33 people used the service and were allocated various respite hours, via the local authority, depending on their needs. The service can also provide emergency placements if required.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
The service was a bungalow on a residential street near to a town. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, or anything else outside to indicate it was a respite care service. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Improvements had been made regarding quality assurance checks. There were now systems in place to check staff were being regularly supported and that people's care records were up to date and informative. Effective audits were part of the everyday running of the service to drive up improvements and ensure people were provided with a quality person- centred service.
Staff spoke highly of the people they supported and understood people's needs well. Feedback about the staff team and service was positive both from people using the service and relatives. There had been changes since the last inspection with the management team and both staff and relatives told us they could see improvements had been made. There was good communication between staff and relatives and people using the service.
From our observations we could see staff cared about people and ensured they were stimulated and occupied. People went out for trips when staying at the service and staff knew people's preferences.
People's care records were detailed and recorded the level of support people needed and the risks they faced. People's communication needs were noted to inform staff and to make sure people were cared for appropriately.
There were sufficient numbers of staff in place and the provider carried out suitable recruitment checks on staff.
Safeguarding concerns were dealt with in line with the provider's policies and procedures. People and relatives were confident any complaints would be listened to and acted on.
Accidents and incidents were investigated so that any trends could be identified and acted on so that lessons could be learnt. People's medicines were managed safely and effectively.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 8 February 2019). The provider completed an action plan after the inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of a regulation.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
You can read the report from the service's last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Short Break Service-April Cottage on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
This is a service where people receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service offers up to four people with a physical or learning disability short term breaks/respite throughout the year. This can be for a few hours or overnight stays. At the time of the inspection the service was providing short term breaks to a total of 33 people. At the time of our inspection one person was visiting the service for a few hours and one person was staying overnight at the service.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
There were some audits and monitoring checks in place. However, audits did not always effectively identify where improvements needed to be made, such as ensuring complaint and safeguarding records were all up to date and accessible and that all staff received the supervision and annual appraisal of their work.
This was a breach of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.). You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
Staff were knowledgeable and had the relevant skills and experience to support the people staying at April Cottage. However, improvements needed to be made to ensure staff received the support they required via regular supervision and an ongoing appraisal of their work.
The building, owned by a housing association, required updating in places and rooms needed decorating. The registered manager was looking for this to be actioned shortly after the inspection
There were enough staff to keep people safe and the provider followed safe recruitment procedures. Staff knew people’s needs well and were passionate about supporting people. However, due to changes in staff member’s working patterns, some felt they no longer had the time to read information to prepare for the shift. The registered manager was aware of these concerns and was working to support staff through the changes.
There were systems in place to manage and respond to complaints and people and relatives knew who they could go to if they had a query or complaint. One complaint record was not available to view during the inspection and the registered manager confirmed they would ensure this was obtained and kept in the service to show how it had been dealt with.
The provider had appropriate arrangements in place to help protect people from the risk of the spread of infection.
People were safe using the service. Staff knew how to recognise safeguarding concerns and what to do if they suspected any abuse. Risks to people were identified and plans put in place to minimise these risks. Guidance was in place for staff so that they could mitigate risk, whilst supporting people to take sensible and assessed risks in their lives. People and their relatives were involved in the development of their care planning and people’s needs were reviewed on an ongoing basis. People safely received their medicines.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
People's health and nutritional needs were assessed and reviewed on an ongoing basis. Staff worked with social and health care professionals and sought specialist advice to ensure they were supporting people appropriately. Health and social care professionals were complimentary about the staff team and the support people received when staying at the service.